Ms. S&C has determined that using beer in a non-traditional manner — say in cocktails and desserts — is now a very cool thing to do. (PS: Brasserie Beck’s beer float — a Kasteel Rouge, with hints of cherry, topped with honey cinnamon ice cream — is t-a-s-t-y. PPS: She also thought beer floats were cool last year when she made one herself.)

Last fall, Ms. S&C aspired to dress boldly. She wanted bright, rich colors and prints (paisley and polka dots were favorites). This year, she still wants color and prints — and a certain level of boldness — but also glamour.

Ms. S&C wants glamour in a grown-up way. She wants style that is charming, a little mysterious, a little adventurous, a little sexy, but also smart.

A good example: this floral dress from Anthropologie. When trying it on, Ms. S&C knew she was in love with this dress before she even headed to the full length mirror for a glimpse. The brilliant floral print, the ultra feminine neckline, the sculptural cap sleeves, the striking waistband: it is glamorous, it is flattering, it is work appropriate, and it is a great transition dress. Ms. S&C can wear it now with nude slingbacks (she already has!), and she can wear it in the fall with black tights and some simple black pumps.

Another favorite from Anthropologie is this Tracy Reese print dress. With a price tag slightly under $300, this is an aspirational buy. Again, we’ve got a funky print, combined with a great collar and delicate silver buttons. The classic design makes it feel grown-up, but the whimsical print and silk fabric makes it feel glamorous.

As for shoes, Ms. S&C already has shoes in her closet that work well with both dresses (her black platform peep-toes from last fall are certainly an option).

Anthropologie also has an incredibly unique footwear selection. You don’t need a great dress when wearing Anthropologie shoes — they are showstoppers unto themselves. Here are a few of Ms. S&C’s early favorites. Love the thicker-heel trend this season. Love that curry color on the peep-toes, that rose detail on the black pumps, and a pair of oxfords will be in my closet stat!

Ms. S&C wants to know: What fall trends do you like? What new items do you plan on having in your closet this season?

Ms. S&C is co-hosting an event (everyone’s invited!) this Friday, and she’s pretty excited about it. The weather forecast looks good! It’s a holiday weekend! All her best girlfriends will be in town! Yes, her excitement can hardly be contained.

Since the event is all about celebrating style (and drinking champagne cocktails), she found this to be a pretty damn good reason to do some major outfit planning (and shopping). Here’s a preview of what Ms. S&C will be wearing to the “Style in the City” party: Shoshanna one-shoulder ruffle dress (actually purchased at local Alexandria boutique Periwinkle), Anthropologie printed clutch and fleurs-de-lys earrings, and Pierre Dumas trendy cage sandals. She likes the feminine (yet, kinda sexy) ruffle on the dress combined with the edginess of the strappy metallic sandal. She’s also in love with this “ultramarine” shade of blue.

Today, she took care of the mani and pedi. But now, she needs help with hair and make-up? Suggestions?

Two recent finds in the worlds of both shoes and cocktails have Miss M all a flutter inside, and I was immediately eager to share them with the S&C readers.

While returning a belt to Anthropologie just last week, I came upon a stroke of luck: an Anthropologie shoe sale! This is a rare event indeed. I’m a big fan of Anthro’s selection of footwear: it has a slightly vintage vibe, with unique picks that are difficult to find elsewhere. But the prices are far from palatable.

That’s why my heart sang when I spotted a small collection of shoes gathered under a beloved “Sale” sign. And it hit a high note when I met these peep-toe, blue and sliver suede t-strap pumps with a braid detail. Online, the originally $198 shoes are marked down to $99.95. But in-store, I snagged a pair in my size for $50! Oh joy, thy name is Lunar Puzzle Mary-Janes! So get yourself to the nearest Anthropolgie to take advantage of these crazy sales. My guess is that they’re most popular during the season-to-season transitions.

While Anthropologie is expanding my shoe arsenal, a new-to-me discovery is expanding my cocktail repertoire. I was excited to spy Q Tonic at my favorite local wine and cheese shop, River City Cellars. Q Tonic is, according to their PR people anyway, “dedicated to making the world’s best tonic water.” Organic agave replaces sugar as their sweetener of choice.

I hope to conduct a tonic tasting this weekend and report back with a tonic-by-tonic comparison. In the meantime, I can’t wait to experiment with and adapt a few of the recipes found over at qtoniq.com. The Q-Cumber Fizz is at the top of my drinks-to-try list.

We know we’ve been heavy-handed on the shoes lately. We promise there are cocktail posts in the near future. But, the last two days in the DC area have given us the first taste of fall weather, and we just can’t resist. Much like the Anthroplogie catalog that arrived yesterday. The first eight pages feature shoes, bags, and dogs. I think I nearly toppled over. Such a hip, artistic collection of accessories. We, of course, want them all–including the jewelry, and super-cool knit tights.

Because we are all about riding boots these season, here are a few of our faves: ripe-red, steely-grey, and subtle-brown. Perfection.

And, because woman cannot live on shoes alone, here are her bags: more fiery-red, minty-green, and cloudy-grey. Très unique.

Only problem is the price tag. And finding the right drink for the hipster/biker/equestrian, and of course, dog lover.

About Shoes & Cocktails

The blog dedicated to shoes, cocktails, and things related was created by Ms. ShoesandCocktails, a Washington, DC area resident, who lives with her husband and dog, and is surrounded by friends with good taste and a weakness for cocktails. Ms. S&C would love to hear from you, so feel free to contact her at: shoesandcocktails(at)yahoo(dot)com.

Miss Mojito also joins Ms. S&C as a contributor. Miss M is from Richmond, VA, and lives and breathes for the delightful Cuban cocktail from which she borrows her name.